Police: Couple robbed at gunpoint

January 7, 2013

CHESTERFIELD - A Queens couple was allegedly robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning.

A 27-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were traveling south on state Route 22 in the Essex County town of Chesterfield when they pulled over on the side of the road about 1.5 miles south of Interstate 87's Exit 33, Ray Brook-based state police wrote in a press release issued Sunday evening.

"The female was standing outside when a vehicle pulled up behind them," police wrote in the release. "Five subjects approached the couple and two of them displayed handguns. The subjects struck the victims and took personal items and an undisclosed amount of cash."

Police said the couple, whose names have not been released, reported that the "suspects spoke Spanish and were described as five Hispanic males, one (of) which was wearing a purple colored shirt." The suspects were reportedly driving a dark-colored SUV that may have had Florida license plates. They were last seen traveling north toward I-87, police said.

The victims received treatment for minor injuries at Elizabethtown Community Hospital and were released.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact state police at their Lewis headquarters at 518-873-2750.